This invention relates to an apparatus of the general type shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,766,622 for inserting wires into the wire receiving portions of electrical terminals which are contained in a two row electrical connector.
U.S. Pat No. 3,760,335 discloses and claims a pre-loaded electrical connector which contains contact terminals arranged in two parallel rows. The contact terminals have wire-receiving portions which are adapted to receive wires upon movement of the wires laterally of their axes and into the wire-receiving portions, an electrical and mechanical connection of each wire to its contact being achieved upon such movement of the wires. Usually, the wire inserting operation is carried out with a suitable tool or machine such as the tool shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,758,935 which inserts all of the wires in a single operation or a machine of the type shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,766,622 which inserts two wires during each operating cycle. The apparatus of the later type produces higher production rather than the tool shown in U.S. Pat No. 3,758,935 because of certain wire handling conditions and the machine is therefore preferred under many circumstances.
Both types of apparatus discussed above conventionally trim the wires at the time of insertion into the wire receiving portions of the terminals so that the connector is provided on the ends of the wires or on the end of the multi-conductor cable which contains all of the wires extending to the conductor. There are many circumstances, however, where it is desirable to have the connector connected to the wires intermediate the ends of the wires as where a tap connection is being made to a multi-conductor cable. U.S. Pat. No. 3,803,695 discloses the connection of intermediate portions of wires in a cable to an electrical connector and discloses a manually operated mass insertion tool for making electrical connections of this type. As noted above, however, the power driven machine of the type shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,766,622 is preferred under many circumstances where wires are being connected to connector and it has become apparent that there is a need for a powered apparatus of this type which will be capable of attaching intermediate portions of wires to connectors. Inspection of U.S. Pat. No. 3,766,622 will reveal, however, that this type of machine does not lend itself directly to the connection of intermediate portions tap wires to the connectors.
It is an object of the instant invention to provide an improved wire inserting apparatus for inserting wires into the wire receiving portions of terminals in an electrical terminal. A further object is to provide an apparatus for inserting intermediate portions of wires into the terminals of an electrical connector. A further object is to provide a versatile form of wire inserting apparatus which can be used for inserting intermediate parts of wires or end portions of wires into the ends of terminals of an electrical connector. A further object is to provide an improved apparatus for making tap connections to a multi-conductor cable without the necessity of cutting the wires in the cable.